Abstract

Linearly chirped, subnanosecond optical pulses, emitted at an arbitrary repetition rate by a fast‐tuned monolithic diode laser, were compressed down to 600 fs by group‐velocity dispersion in a standard optical fiber. Subsequent amplification and nonlinear compression in an erbium‐doped fiber amplifier produced pulses with the energy of up to 2 nJ and the duration down to 230 fs.